Cigarette apparatus



y 18, w. F. M. EDWARDS 2,166,486

CIGARETTE APPARATUS Filed June 28, 1937 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVE/YTW? WFM. EDWARDS July 18, 1939. w. F. M. EDWARDS CIGARETTE APPARATUS 's Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 28, 1937 I INVEN T01? \/\/..F. M. EDWARDS B9 W,&u7

July 18, 1939. w. F. M. EDWARDS CIGARETTE APPARATUS Filed June 28, 1957 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR W. F M. EDWARDS July 18, 1939.

W. F. M. EDWARDS CIGARETTE APPARATUS 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 28, 1937 INVENTOI? W. F-M.-EDWARDS Y M Paw A TTORNEYS ly ,1939. w. F. M. EDWARDS 2,166,486

CIGARETTE APPARATUS Filed June 28, 1937 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 \NVEN TOR W. M. EDWARDS ATTORNEYS b 1939- w. F. M. EDWARDS 2,166,486

CIGARETTE APPARATUS Filed June 28, 1957 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR M. EDWARDS ATTORNEVS July 18, 1939. I w, EDWARDS 2,166,486

CIGARETTE APPARATUS Filed June 28, 1937 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 iN'VENTo M. EDWARDS A TTORA/EYS July 1939- v w. F. M. EDWARDS 6. 6

' CIGARETTE APPARATUS Filed June 28, 1937 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 INVENTOR W. F. M. EDWARDS ATTOKWl-IYS Patented July 18, 1939 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFIQE CIGARETTE APPARATUS William Frederick Maitland Edwards, Hinchley Wood, Esher, England, assignor to Filter Tips Limited, London, England Application June 28, 1937, Serial No. 150,850 In Great Britain July 9, 1936 14 Claims.

0 into contact with the assembled parts, the speed at which the assemblage is rolled is unduly high for a reasonably, high output and tends to result in disintegration of the tobacco filling particularly at the ends of the assemblage. Furthermore, the methods of this character heretofore proposed have the disadvantage that the final seam of the uniting band is only subject to pressure momentarily and consequently insuflicient time is allowed for the proper setting of the adhesive at the seam which is liable to come apart subsequently, particularly when a double length stub has to be bisected after the uniting band has been applied.

The present invention has among its objects to provide improvements in apparatus for the production of filter tip cigarettes by a method'of the character referred to whereby the disadvantages mentioned above may be obviated.

The expression stubs used herein comprises filter tips, wads or plugs of any desired material or combination of materials, such stubs being generally enclosed in paper retaining wrappers although in the case of wads of spiral or other suitable formation other means may be employed for retaining the formation so that the paper wrapper may be dispensed with, and also includes tubes which may be empty or filled or partially filled with filtering material and /or tobacco. The expression cigarettes comprises cigarettes of the usual length or lengths of cigarette rod shorter or longer than the usual cigarette.

The invention is hereinafter described byway of example with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which:

Figures 1a, 1b, 1c and 1d taken together represent a side elevation partly in section illustrating one embodiment according to the invention;

Figure 2 is an end elevation partly in on the line II--II, Figure 1b;

Figure 3 is a part side elevation corresponding to Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a view partly in section on the line IV-IV, Figure 1a;

section Figure 5 is a section on the line VV, Figure 10;

Figure 6 is a section on the line VIVI, Figure 1d; and

Figure 7 is a detail view illustrating a modification in the apparatus shown in Figures 1a, 1b, 1c and 1d.

In carrying the invention into eifect and with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic 4 drawings, pairs of cigarettes or lengths of cigarette rod are fed from a double hopper i into grooves 2a in a drum 2. Lengths of stub material enclosed in paper wrappers and preferably of a length equivalent to three double length stub portions are fed from a hopper 3 into grooves 4a in a drum 4 (Figures 2 and 3). The lengths of stub material are cut into double length stub portions by successively acting cutters 5 and 5a and such stub portions are, during the travel of the drum 4, ejected'into grooves 6a in a carrier disc 6 which moves slower than the drum 4 and has a larger number of grooves therein. For instance, the disc 6 may have thirty-six grooves and the drum 4 may have elevengrooves, the grooves 60. in the disc 6 being conveniently of a width greater than the width of the grooves 4a so as to allow of the transfer of the stub portions from the grooves 4a to the grooves 6a when the same come into alignment, as shown more especially in Figure 3. The ejection of the stub portions into the grooves 611 may be effected by means of plungers 1 (Figure 2) actuated by springs la under the control of a fixed cam 8 acting on the rollers lb. The steps 8a. in the cam 8 coincide with the positions at which the grooves 4a come into align-- ment with the grooves 6a in the disc 6. A stop disc 6b is provided for positioning the ejected stub portions in the grooves 6a. The disc 6 is mounted on a spindle 9 provided with a gear wheel 9aand the drum 4 is mounted on a sleeve l 0 provided with a gear wheel lila of slightly less diameter, the two gear wheels 90., Ilia being. geared together by gears 9b, lflb so as to rotate in the same direction but at a slightly different relative speed, the drum 4 for instance being rotated at twelve revolutions per minute and the disc 6 at eleven revolutions per minute. The stub portions are retained in the grooves Ba by the provision of fixed guides H which extend up to the position at which the stub portions are transferred into grooves lZa in a disc l2, transfer being ensured by the provision of fixed guides no as shown in Figure 1a.

The stub portions are delivered from the disc l2 into the grooves 20. of the drum 2 so as to lie between the pairs of cigarettes therein, and the assemblages are delivered by the drum 2 to a suction transfer wheel I3.

Immediately prior to delivery of the assemblages to the suction transfer wheel I3 the lengths comprising each assemblage are butted together by the action on the ends thereof of guides I I, I4a, acting on spring fingers I3a (Figure 4) one guide, for instance the guide Ma, being preferably resilient and adjustable by means of screw Mb so as to permit regulation of the pressure with which the lengths are pressed axially together. On delivery to the suction transfer wheel I3 the assemblages are held on grooved members I3b communicating through holes I30 (Figure 4) with transverse suction passages I3d which pass into communication with a hood I5 connected to a suction pipe I5a (Figures 1a and 1d).

From the suction transfer wheel I3 the assemblages are delivered to the drum I6, the'hood I5 being arranged to cut off the suction through the holes I3c at this point.

A strip 21 of cork or the like is fed through pasting apparatus I8 (Figure 1c) of any suitable kind and on to the drum I6, whereon it is held by suction exerted through holes I 60., I61) (Figure 5), a hood I1 and suction pipe Ila. The strip 2? so held on the periphery of the drum I6 is cut into the necessary lengths by the action of a rotary cutter 21a which is arranged at such an angle and so operated that during the movement of the drum I6 the strip 2'! is cut transversely at right angles. In other words cutter 21a is set at a slight angle in relation to the drum, the arrangement being such that the resultant cut is at right angles to the drum. In this connection it must be pointed out that this form of cutter forms no part of the invention although it is employed in the machine as constructed. Any other more usual form of cutter could be utilized.

The drum I6 is provided with slots I9 and 20' for the mounting of pairs of blades I9, 20 which, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, are carried byradially movable slider members I 9a, 20a respectively provided with rollers I911, 202) which co-operate with fixed cams 2I, 22 respectively. The blades I9, 20 are formed with centrally disposed slots I90, 290 to accommodate a rotary cutter 23 (Figure 10) by which the assemblages are finally subdivided. The blades I9, 20 also are slotted at I9d, 26d respectively so as to render the central and outer portions of each blade resilient with respect to one another to accommodate any irregularities in the diameter or formation of the stub portions.

The cams 2| and 22 are profiled, for example as shown in Figures 10 and 1d, so that, at least during the part of the travel at which the cork or like strip 21 is fed to the drum I6 and cut by the cutter 21a and up to the point at which the assemblages are delivered from the suction transfer-wheel I3 to the drum I6, the two blades I9, .29 constituting each rolling device are withdrawn flush with or within the periphery of the drum I6 so as to provide a substantially unbroken or smooth surface for the reception of the cork or like strip 21. When the assemblage is positioned on the cork strip by the suction transfer wheel I3, the two blades I9, 20 commence to move outwardly substantially in unison so that the cork strip constituting the uniting band is lapped partly around the assemblage. While the assemblage is positioned by means such as resilient fingers 24b, the blade 26 may be projected to its full extent and thereafter the blade I9 may move outwards and the blade 20 may move inwards so as to effeet a rolling of the assemblage between the blades whereby the wrapping of the uniting band around the assemblage may be completed. The resilient fingers 24b referred to above are carried by an endless chain 24m passing over sprockets 24g, 241' and are guided by a fixed cam 240. The sprockets 24g, 241' are carried by arms 24] pivotally mounted upon the member 24h, which arms may be swung for adjustment of the sprockets and endless chain. The sprocket 242' carries a gear 240 which is driven in counter-clockwise direction through the train of gear wheels 24k,

241, 24m, 2412. Before the blade 20 commences to move inwards, the blade I9 is projected outwards to a sufficient extent to move the assemblage clear of the drum surface. As shown in Figure 7 a fixed spring plate 24c may be arranged to lap the cork 21 further around the assemblage before the blade 29 is projected, thus rendering it possible to employ blocks 24d in place of the fingers 241) on the chain 24a. During further movement of the drum It the blade I9 may move inwards and the blade 20 outwards so as to effect a reverse rolling of the assemblage, the arrangement preferably being such that when the assemblage reaches the cutter 23 by which it is sub-divided, it is again disposed close to or in contact with the periphery of the drum I6, the seam preferably being disposed against the blade 20 so that it is held thereby during the bisection of the product by the cutter 23, thereby counteracting any tendency of the seam to open up during the cutting operation. Between the cutter 23 and the final receiving drum 25 the blade 29 may be projected and the blade I9 either held stationary or withdrawn so that the product is positively ejected into a groove 25a in the drum 25 which delivers the products to a conveyor 26 forming part of a so-called stacker.

Inasmuch as the drum I6 or equivalent conveying means may be provided with a large number of rolling units, it is possible to maintain a comparatively high output with a very low speed of movement of the conveying means which preferably moves continuously. Furthermore, when the conveying means comprises a drum the rolling movement of the blades or like members may take place over approximately threequarters of a revolution of the drum and consequently the actual rolling of the assemblage may be effected at a very slow rotational speed of the assemblage and under a very gentle rolling pressure so that while effective wrapping is obtained there will be no tendency to disintegration of the tobacco strands.

In order to separate the sub-divided products prior to delivery to" the conveyor 26 suitably curved rollers 29 driven in opposite directions are mounted so that during a part of the travel of the drum 25, the products are engaged thereby.

Furthermore, if desired, the rolling operation as described may be repeated one or more times during the travel ,of the drum I6 in order to consolidate the seam of the uniting bands.

Furthermore, instead of feeding the cork or the like on to the periphery of the drum I6, the lengths of previously pasted cork may be applied to the assemblages .while they are carried on the suction transfer wheel I3, in which case the provision of suction means on the drum I6 is unnecessary. For example, the suction transfer wheel I3 may be arranged to carry the assemblages away from the assembly drum 2 into contact with previously pasted pieces of cork carried by a separate cork fconveying drum on which the cork is held by suction. At the moment of contact the suction acting on the cork is cut off so that the cork adhering to the assemblagegis released and is carried with the assemblage into position in contact with or adjacentthe periphery of the drum I6, whereuponfthe cork is wrapped partially around'the assemblage by the outward projection of the blades 19, 20.

The expression cork? used herein comprises any suitable uniting material.

It will be understood that the invention 'is not limited to the particular embodiment hereinbefore described. For example, in placeof' the drum Hi, an endless chain structure may be employed, in which case the rolling blades would reciprocate, in planes perpendicular to the plane of the chain structure and such reciprocation could be effected by suitably shaped stationary ramps orcams.

What I claim is:

, 1. Apparatus for the manufacture of'filter tip cigarettes by wrapping a uniting band about an assemblage of cigarette and stub portions, com prising conveying means on which the wrapping of the uniting band about the assemblage is effected, members mounted on said conveying means to engage opposite sides of each assemblage. said members being reciprocatable in planes intersecting the path of movement .of the conveying means whereby the assemblage may be rolled between the said. members about its own axis, and.means for effecting the reciprocatable movementof the said members,

2. Apparatus for 1 the manufacture of filter tip cigarettes by wrappinga uniting'band about'an assemblage of cigarette and stub portions, comprising a continuously moving conveyor. on" which the wrapping of the uniting band about the assemblage is effected, members mountedon the said conveyor, said members being reciprocatable in planes intersecting the path of movement of the said conveyonand cam means for effecting reciprocatory movement of the said members so that assemblages engaged thereby are rolled tc complete the Wrapping of the uniting bands about the assemblages during movement of the said conveyor.

3. Apparatus for the manufacture of filter tip cigarettes by wrapping a uniting band about an assemblage of cigarette and stub portions, comprising means acting on the uniting band by relative movement of the assemblage and said means towards one another to lap the band partly around the assemblage, said means including two relatively movable members, and means for effecting the relative movement of said members to roll the assemblage therebetween for the completion of the wrapping operation.

4. Apparatus for the manufacture of filter tip cigarettes by wrapping a uniting band about an assemblage of cigarette and stub portions, comprising conveying means such as a drum, bladelike members carried thereby and mounted so as to be movable in planes intersecting the path of movement of the said conveying means, means for feeding an assemblage into wrapping position and cam means for operating the bladelike members so that a pair thereof is projected to wrap a uniting band partly around an assemblage fed into position and for thereafter effecting relative movement of the blade-like members to complete the wrapping operation by rolling of the assemblage.

j5. Apparatu's as claimed in claim 4, wherein the said cam'means are fixed.

6'. Apparatus fas claimed in claim 4, wherein the conveying" means is provided with perforations along part of its surface, and suction means communicating with said perforations and serving to retain the uniting bands in position on the conveying means prior to the wrapping operation.

'7. Apparatus for the manufacture of filter tip cigarettes by wrapping a uniting band about an assemblage of cigarette and stub portions, comprising conveying means, pairs of members carried thereby and mounted so as to be reciprocatable in planesintersecting the path of movement of the said conveying means, assembly means, a rotary suction transfer device receiving the assemblages from the assembly means and delivering saidassemblages between the pairs of Said members, and means for effecting relative reciprocatory m'ovement of the said members to effect thewrapping of the uniting bands around the assemblages byrolling of the assemblages between the' said members.

'8.,.Apparatus forthe manufacture of filter tip cigarettes by wrapping a uniting band about an assemblage of cigarette and stub portions, comprising conveying means, pairs of members carried 'thereby'andfmounted so as to be reciprocatablein planes intersecting the path of move ment of the said conveying means, assembly means, a .rotarysuction transfer device receiving the assemblages from the assembly means and delivering said assemblages between the pairs of said members, resilient members mountedonsaid rotary'suctiontransfer device so asto be. capableof enga ing [the ends of the. assemblages carried thereby, relatively inclined fixed guides acting on the said resilient members to cause the same to press the parts of the assemblageaxially towardsjone another, and means for effecting relativereciprocatory movement of the said .members to effect the wrapping of the uniting bands around'the assemblages by rolling of the assemblages between the said members.

9. Apparatus for the manufacture of filter tip cigarettes by wrapping a uniting band about an assemblage of cigarette and stub portions, comprising, an assembly drum having grooves to receive pairs of cigarettes axially spaced apart,

a hopper for supplying multiple lengths of stub material, a drum arranged to receive the lengths, of stub material, cutters associated with the said drum to sub-divide the lengths of stub material, a disc coaxial with said last-mentioned drum and provided with grooves, ejecting means operating during the rotation of the last-mentioned drum to feed the sub-divided stub portions into the grooves in said disc, means for transferring the stub portions from the said disc and for delivering the same between the pairs of cigarettes on the said assembly drum, a rotary suction transfer device receiving the assemblages from the assembly drum, conveying means receiving the assemblages from the said suction transfer device, members mounted on said conveying means to engage opposite sides of each assemblage said members being reciprocatable in planes intersecting the path of movement of the conveying means, and means for effecting relative reciprocatory movement of the said members for rolling the assemblage about its axis to complete the wrapping operation.

10. Apparatus for the manufacture of filter tip cigarettes by wrapping a uniting band about an assemblage of cigarette and stub port1ons, comprising, an assembly drum having grooves to receive pairs of cigarettes spaced apart, ahopper for supplying multiple lengths of stub ma terial, a drum arranged to receive the lengths of stub material, cutters associated with the said drum to sub-divide the lengths of stub material, a disc coaxial with said last-mentioned drum and provided with grooves, ejecting means operating during the rotation of the last-mentioned drum to feed the sub-divided stub portions into the grooves in said disc, means for transferring the stub portions from the said disc and for delivering the same between the pairs of cigarettes on the said assembly drum, a rotary suction transfer device receiving the assemblages from the assembly drum, relatively inclined fixed guides associated with the said suction transfer device and acting to press the parts of the assemblage axially into contact, means for adjusting one of said guides, conveyingmeans receiv: ing the assemblages from the said suction transfer device, members mounted on said conveying means to engage opposite sides of each assemblage, said members being reciprocatable in planes intersecting the path of movement of the conveying means, and means for eifecting relative reciprocatory movement of the said members for rolling the assemblage about its axis to complete the wrapping operation I 11. Apparatus for the manufacture of filter tip cigarettes by wrapping a unitingv band about an assemblage of cigarette and stub portions, comprising conveying means. such as a drum, bladelike members carried thereby and mounted so as to be movable in planes intersecting the path ofmovement of the said conveying means, said blade-like members being slotted to provide rela; tively resilient central and outer portions, means for feeding an assemblage into wrapping position and cam means for operating the blade-like members so that a pair thereof is projectedv to wrap a uniting band partly around an assemblage fed into position, and so that said bladelike members are thereafter moved relatively to one another to complete the wrapping operation by rolling of the. assemblage therebetween.

l2. Apparatus-for the manufacture of filter tip cigarettes by wrappingra uniting band about an assemblage of cigarette and stub portions, comprising a rotary conveyor provided with slots in the-periphery thereof, pairs of radially slidable members carried by said rotary conveyor, two fixed cams one at each end of said rotary conveyor co-operating with the respective radially slidable members, blades mounted on said slidable members and projectible through the slots in the periphery of the said rotary conveyor, perforations intermediate the said slots, means for feeding pasted uniting bands to the periphery ofthe said rotary conveyor so as to overlie said perforations, and means for positioning assembled cigarettes and stubs on said uniting bands, said cams being profiled so that each pair of blades is projected first to wrap a uniting band partly around the respective assemblage and so as thereafter to effect relative movement of the blades to complete the wrapping operation by rolling of the assemblage therebetween.

13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein one of the relatively inclined fixed guides is resilient, and means for adjusting said resilient guide for the purpose of regulating the degree of axial pressure with which the lengths constituting each assemblage are caused to abut one another.

14. Apparatus for the manufacture of filter tip cigarettes by wrapping a uniting band about an assemblage of cigarette and stub portions, comprising conveying means, pairs of members carried thereby and mounted so as to be reciprocatable in planes intersecting the path of movement of the said conveying means, assembly means, a' rotary suction transfer device receiving the assemblages from the assembly means and delivering said assemblages between the pairs of said members, relatively inclined fixed guides arranged to act on the ends of the assemblage while carried by said rotary suction transfer device, means for effecting relative reciprocatory movement of the said members to effect the wrapping of the uniting bands around the assemblages by rolling of the assemblages between the said members, one of the relatively inclined fixed guides being resilient, and means for adjusting said resilient guide for the purpose of regulating the degree of axial pressure with which the lengths constituting each assemblage are caused to abut one another.

WILLlAM FREDERICK MAITLAND EDWARDS. 

